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Chapter 38 – Unexpected Rooms

Sethie was right, of course.

Hanah's first clue was that Dwalin came by mid-morning the next day, seemingly idle as he sipped his offered tea at the kitchen table. He refrained from smoking his pipe as Hanah had told him the smell made her sick. Sethie was more quiet than usual, as if apprehensive by his presence. When Hanah attempted to introduce them, Sethie had interrupted, saying shortly: "I know who he is." And that was that. Dwalin seemed unbothered by her brusque manner, so Hanah let it be.

The awkward moment did not last long as a wagon soon entered the yard, pulled by a pony and piloted by Fíli. Kíli reclined in the back, barely awake it seemed.

"Ye're late," Dwalin grunted at the brothers when Hanah let them in.

"Why don't you try and disperse the council when the king is away," Fíli defended, "and see how long it takes before you are actually able to leave after everyone has voiced their protests."

"Don't look at me. I'm under no obligation to be here," Kíli yawned. "I'm simply welcoming Miss Hanah to Erebor, and kindness never expires, Mister Dwalin," he added in a sensible tone.

Dwalin hit him in the back of the head with his glove.

Hanah wanted to tell Fíli that he did not have to cancel his appointments on her account, but she remembered his promise from the day before and therefore did not say anything.

"Where are your guards?" Hanah asked. They usually had two each, at least, every time she had seen them out in the open.

"We don't need them." Kíli winked at her. "I'll protect your prince."

Dwalin took another swipe at his head, but he ducked this time.

Fíli smiled. "They're waiting just around the corner." He pointed to the edge of Dwalin's yard, in the direction of the road. Now that he mentioned it, Hanah could hear the faint chink of armour and the grunts of horses besides the pony pulling the wagon.

Sethie showed Fíli and Kíli straight to the chest, bags, and the stacks of material she had packed for transport the day before. The food from the pantry was put back into the crates in which it had been delivered. Some of the remaining items had been there when the sisters arrived, and the rest could be carried.

Hanah looked around one last time at the cottage which had been their first safe home since their father's death. Sethie and Hemery were busy outside, commanding Fíli and Kíli about the placement of the sisters' things on the wagon. Hanah could hear them through the open door.

"These jars are glass," Hemery said. "You can't put glass directly on the floor."

"You say everything is delicate," Fíli protested. "Is there anything we can put on the floor?"

"The jars can be replaced if they're cracked," Sethie said. "Just make sure the ones with oil colours don't break, cause you can't get that stuff off."

"We can wrap them in these furs," Kíli triumphed.

"Not the bearskins!" Hem and Fíli cried in unison.

Hanah smiled to herself.

"Ye ready?" Dwalin asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.

She nodded. When he turned to leave, she stopped him.

"I talked to Fíli about you."

Dwalin's eyebrow rose, waiting for her to continue. "A fascinating subject, I'm sure. What exactly did ye talk about?"

"He says . . . he says that you can move to Erebor as well." She bit her lip, hopeful of his reply.

He frowned.

"I would've talked to you first," she went on, "but I didn't want to bring it up unless it was actually possible. And I know it might seem like I was doin' your work for you, but I'm sure Prince Fíli doesn't see it that way."

At her apologetic tone, he relaxed, sighing and rubbing his chin through his beard.

"You know how much Hem would love to have you nearby. And me too," she pleaded softly. "You're . . . family."

"Han," he groaned, tired.

"And you said that family should be together," she reminded him, undeterred.

Dwalin put one hand on the side of her face, caressing her hair, gently tugging and smoothing it in turn.

"I care for ye like my own blood, but I can't do what ye ask."

"Don't you want to live in Erebor?"

"As things are––I can't."

Hanah knew his decision was final.

"I appreciate what ye did," he said, "but it's a matter of principle."

"Will you ever reconcile with the king?"

Dwalin smoothed her hair one last time, patting her head as if she was a child.

"Don't worry 'bout me," was all he said.

Before noon, Hanah and Hemery were settled in the south wing just a few doors down from Fíli's chambers. When Hanah entered the big room, she almost changed her mind about coming to Erebor. It was very similar to Fíli's study: a large fireplace, tapestries on the walls, and the floor beneath the coarse carpet was laid in different coloured stones cut in sharp angles. Opposite the door, windows stretched in tall, narrow openings from Hanah's waist to way taller than her hand could reach. The glass was thick to protect against the cold, and made the mountainside and the valley outside appear as if viewed through water. Hanah did not mind––she just wanted the light.

Sethie burst through a door to her right.

"Where do you want your work material? I don't think I can make the princes move things many more times today. Should I just have them leave it in here?" She motioned behind her to the adjoined room.

"What is that?" Hanah asked, walking through the door. She entered another room, exactly the same as the first one, with a door at the other end. It was bare except for her stacked materials in one corner. She walked through the third door into a smaller room with wardrobes and cupboards, and then into a larger room with a low wide bed, stripped of any linens and blankets. As she already guessed, beyond the door at the other end of the wardrobe room was a wet-room.

Hanah turned to Sethie, gaping.

"Is this––?"

Sethie smiled, seeing Hanah's astonishment. "Aye, it's all yours. Hemery's is just through there." She pointed to the wet-room.

Hanah sat carefully on the bed. It was a down mattress, but no feather pens pierced the cover to prick her.

Sethie backed away. "I'll tell them to leave the rest by the door. Hem and I can move it later."

Hanah was grateful to Sethie for giving her a moment alone. She was in a palace. It was quite overwhelming. How could she accept this? If she refused, she knew Fíli would hear none of it. So, really, she had no choice but to accept it, she mused. Her eyes burned, but she blinked away any tears. Though the rooms were empty, fires crackled merrily in every one of them, adding heart to the stone.

She could live here. She would live here. And she was grateful to Fíli for all he had done for her. New worries would surely replace the old ones, but she was content for now.

A soft knock awakened Hanah from her thoughts. She turned to see Fíli at the door.

"Hanah, I––" he paused. "Are you alright?"

Hanah wiped the tears from her face with her palms.

"It's nothin'. Just moods, you know . . ." She trailed off in an attempt to make him think it was due to her pregnancy rather than a genuine swell of emotions.

He nodded, accepting her answer.

"I came to give you these." Fíli showed her a pair of keys. "One for you, and one for your sister."

"Thank you." Hanah stood to receive the keys. "Do you know where she went?"

"Sethie took her to eat their midday meal with my mother."

"Now?" They had not unpacked a single item, and now Hemery was spending time, unsupervised, with Lady Dis?

"You have plenty of time," Fíli said. "And you need to eat as well."

Hanah looked around. Of course, he was right. She had no pressing business. The only thing she needed done before nightfall was dressing her bed. She sighed.

"I guess so," she conceded.

"Allow me," Fíli said, motioning for her to walk before him out into the hallway.

He led them down one flight of stairs and into another corridor.

"Don't you have things to do?" Hanah asked. She was anxious to not waste his time, more than she already had.

"I need to eat too, you know," was all he said.

Fíli opened a door to a small dining room. She knew this because the table was already set with silver plates, cups, bread, and a water pitcher. This room also had windows, letting in soft light through thick glass. The view was very similar to the one from her bedroom. She imagined that this room was directly below it.

"Have a seat," Fíli said, stoking the fire a moment.

As soon as she sat, she saw the side table with covered dishes placed on top. She was about to get up to see what it was when Fíli stopped her.

"No, no. Sit down," he dismissed her efforts, approaching the dishes, and bringing the plates to the main table himself.

A bowl appeared before Hanah with a thick soup of deep, creamy, green colour with red fruits or vegetables scattered within. There were also slices of beef, cheese, eggs, and nuts on the table. Far too much for two people, she thought, but then again––she was not eating with her sister, she was eating with a dwarf.

She was about to ask why he had not taken her to eat with Hemery, but decided against it. She would take whatever time she could have with him.

They were mostly silent while they ate, allowing Hanah time to wonder where his brother and Dwalin had disappeared to. She did not really care where Kíli was, or what he was doing, but she would have liked to thank Dwalin for his help.

"Did Dwalin leave?"

"I think so," Fíli said over his bowl.

"Oh," Hanah said. "I hope Hem got a chance to say goodbye."

"Aye, they spoke when mother came by."

"Dwalin and Lady Dis spoke?" Hanah asked, curious.

"Hmm, not as such. He talked to Hemery, and then he left."

Again Dwalin seemed to show a dislike for Dis, Hanah gathered. Very strange.

"Why do you ask?" Fíli looked at her with an intrigued gleam in his eye.

"Are Dwalin and Lady Dis at odds with each other, like he is with the king?"

"No," he said, surprised. "Dwalin and Uncle created a discord twenty years ago." Fíli hesitated, his mood turning solemn. Probably wondering whether he should tell her the story or not. "They disagreed on the best way of getting into the mountain. Dwalin thought Thorin was reckless, and Thorin thought Dwalin was . . . unreliable."

That was not what Dwalin had told her and Hemery. She wondered why.

"It was a trying time for all of us. Some things have not been the same since," Fíli concluded diplomatically.

Hanah nodded in understanding. She could only imagine what they all had gone through. Neither did she wish to dredge up old quarrels.

"Did you ever suspect there might be somethin' between Dwalin . . . and Lady Dis?"

Fíli choked on his drink. He coughed a few times before getting his breathing under control.

"I'm sorry," Hanah exclaimed. "Are you alright?"

Fíli's coughing turned to laughter. Tears gathered in the corners of his eyes, of mirth or the coughing was hard to tell.

"Mister Dwalin? And my mother?" Fíli's chuckled. "No, no." The laughter faded, but a smile remained.

"They're old friends, sure. Known each other forever, since they were children. Thorin and Dwalin were best friends back then. But no, it's never been like that. Not even after my father died." He shook his head as the humour simmered down.

Hanah nodded in agreement. Perhaps she had misunderstood the situation. And it was really no business of hers what Dwalin or Lady Dis were up to. She went back to her soup. But the silence was heavier now than before. She looked back up at Fíli.

He seemed lost in thought, staring into the fire.

"Fíli?"

"Hm?" he tore his eyes away from whatever thoughts had him imprisoned and met hers.

"I didn't mean to upset you," Hanah said, apologetically. "It was just a silly fancy. I shouldn't have asked. I don't know what gave me the idea."

She knew very well what gave her the idea, but he may have been the wrong person to ask.

"No, it's quite alright," he said, frowning, but continued his meal.

Hanah felt awkward in the new silence, so she wracked her mind for something to talk about. They had never had this problem before––running out of conversation––so why now?

She guessed a lot had changed in the last weeks. Or the last few months. It was strange to think she used to be scared coming to Erebor, and now here she was.

"So what does the king think of this arrangement?" she asked. She knew Dis approved, but she had no idea what the brother thought. The dwarf who sent Fíli away when he learned of their relations.

"He doesn't know," Fíli replied absently into his food.

"He doesn't know?" Hanah echoed, incredulous.

He looked up, shrugging. "What?"

"What do you mean 'what'? You decided this by yourself without tellin' him, and you're just––" She shrugged in imitation of his indifference.

He smiled crookedly. "This is what he wanted, Hanah. Believe me, when he finds out you're with child, he'll be glad I brought you here."

"When he finds out?"

"Yeah, he's not here right now."

Hanah put a cool hand on her forehead, breathing deeply.

"But the moment he's back, he'll be the first one I tell, I swear. Unless Kíli gets to him before I do, because then he'll probably tell Thorin just to do me over."

She got up from her seat.

"Perhaps this was a bit hasty," she said, feeling lightheaded.

Fíli frowned, got to his feet and took her hand.

"No, it'll be fine. I'm telling you, he won't object."

"I'm not sayin' it wasn't a good idea," Hanah clarified, ignoring his assurances. "But perhaps we should have waited. You know, until these five months that I've been gone were not so fresh in his mind."

Fíli stilled, taking both her hands in his warm grip, watching her intently.

"Hanah," he began, calmly. "I don't care what Thorin says."

She stared at him, speechless.

"Even if he would protest––which he won't––I would not care."

The even tone of his voice, deep and confident, brought back feelings she had forgotten he could conjure. Warmth and tingles. But perhaps that was just her, hyperventilating.

"I asked you to live here because I wanted you to. I want you close to me, always." Fíli's eyes glittered in that familiar way, like letting her in on a secret.

Hanah was very warm now. Distantly, she figured that she should not stand so close to the fire. But then he was talking again.

"Do you want to live here, with me?"

She could feel her brow furrowing on its own.

Of course she wanted it. How could he not know?

She nodded. "Yes." She wanted to smile, but she was spellbound, powerless over her bodily functions. Especially her stomach which heated and twisted when he watched her like that. They had not been so close in a long time.

Hanah raised her chin. If he took the invitation, all was well. If not, then she would not have said anything too embarrassing to take back. As it turned out, she had no cause for worry.

Fíli slowly met her lips, more carefully than ever. Only brushing at first, his moustache tickling her upper lip, but she did not care. He released her hands to caress the skin on her wrists below her sleeve. Soon his mouth captured hers, moving gently but persistent.

Unable to resist, she nipped at his lips, trying to stir him further. It worked. He opened his mouth and deepened the kiss. He tasted of salt from their food, and warmth. His familiar scent and breath filled her lungs, and it was like coming home.

His arms embraced her, pressing her to him while still being mindful of the barrier between them. She threw one arm around his neck, and placed one hand on the side of his face, wanting to feel his living skin beneath her fingers. There were so many layers between them, and she just wanted to be closer.

"Come with me to my chambers," Fíli said, out of breath.

Hanah's eyes widened. "Now?"

"Unless you wish me to pleasure you right here?" He kissed her neck.

She began to laugh at his eagerness, but he was not deterred.

"Tonight then?"

She faltered. "I don't know. This is so sudden."

"Is it?" He returned his focus to her face. "I feel like it never stopped."

Hanah smiled, feeling her eyes water. Her fingers ran down his cheek, caressing his skin, his beard, and came to rest on his chest, feeling his strong heart beating. Last time, she could barely feel it––when she thought he would never wake up.

"I missed you," she admitted, drawing a shaky breath.

He kissed her. "I've missed you." He spoke between nips of lips and tastes of tongue. "Mahal, I've missed you."

His hands snaked under her coat, playing with the laces at the back of her dress.

"Now, about my chambers––" he began teasingly. Hanah laughed.

A noise was heard right outside the door. Footsteps and voices. Someone was approaching.

Hanah drew back, and Fíli moaned in protest. She stepped back, putting some distance between them, and pulled her coat around her just in time for Hemery to open the door, Sethie on her heels.

"Hanah," Hem exclaimed. "Sethie will show us the forges. Dís said they're five hundred times bigger than Dwalin's!"

"That's . . . fantastic," Hanah forced out.

Fíli sat down heavily in his chair by the table, supporting his face in his hand.

"Come on," Hem said, pulling on her hand.

"Thank you for the meal," Hanah threw over the threshold at Fíli.

He merely raised his hand in passive acknowledgement, before he was out of her sight, left alone in the dining room.

Hemery walked first to take in all the views, while Sethie and Hanah fell behind in the long walk down stairs.

"Apologies, Miss Hanah," Sethie said, looking quite miserable.

"For what?" Hanah asked.

"Interrupting your time with Prince Fíli. I tried to take Hem down by myself, but she wouldn't go without you."

Hanah blushed. "No matter. I don't mind."

"I promised Fíli a full hour, and I barely managed half that."

Hanah managed to mask her surprise. So Fíli had specifically asked Sethie to take Hemery away to eat. She smirked at his devious plan.

"Here I thought you and Hem were real friends, now it seems you only spend time with her to obey the prince."

Sethie looked devastated at the statement, pressing her hands to her chest in earnestness. "Oh, I daresay we are friends. She is a barrel of laughs, I swear."

Hanah chuckled. "It's fine," she told Sethie. "Don't worry about it."

When Sethie realised Hanah was only making fun, she cracked a wide, triumphant smile. "Oh, you sly thing. I should be cross with you for getting one over me like that, but it's so nice to see you smile that I'll let it slide this once."

Hanah laughed more at that.

"But now you're on," Sethie continued. "You'll never sell me a story again, I'll tell you. I didn't even know you could make jokes."

Hanah frowned at her, but Sethie just laughed.