Fili watched the girl slowly put her knife on the table. Her already pale face was now ashen. She narrowed her eyes at Thorin, and her red lips pursed. Fili looked at his Mother, since, if anything, the news mostly affected her - or to be more precise, her matchmaking plans.
"Is it true?" Kili asked in a jolly voice. "That's quite a feat, Master Eorwyn. How on earth did you arrange that? Not that I doubt your abilities, but to swindle Old Svuir—"
"I have not swindle Master Svuir into this proposition." The bookeeper's voice was sharp and cold. "I hadn't been aware of the prospect until today. He had set the wheels in motion on his own volition."
Her eyes were on Thorin's face, which was now as much as scowling. Everyone else in the room watched the two of them silently. Fili wondered why Thorin would disapprove of the girl so much, after all Fili had been under the impression that their relationship was amicable. It was known that she worked on his personal books, which meant Thorin trusted her knowledge and her judgement. She was no Dwarf of course, but by now everyone had accepted her in Erebor. Where would this hostility come from? Perhaps, she'd done something to displease him. Fili just couldn't think of anything.
"Well, have you accepted it then?" Fili's Mother broke the silence in a brittle voice.
The bookkeeper slowly turned, and Fili saw an haughty expression on the redhead's angular features.
"What does it matter, amad?" Kili cut in with a chuckle. "I'm sure it'll be announced officially when the decision is made. Otherwise, it is Master Eorwyn's personal business."
Fili knew it about his brother: Kili sensed and deeply detested any sort of agitation among people he shared a meal with or was forced to travel with. He simply wanted everyone to get along around him.
Kili raised his glass and saluted the girl. "Many blessings, Master Eorwyn! I congratulate you on the proposition."
The rest of the Dwarves in the room lifted their glasses.
"Well deserved, Master Eorwyn," Gloin said, and the girl picked up her glass as well.
"Indeed," Thorin said darkly from his seat.
Fili noticed that the girl's hand trembled slightly. Everyone drank, and the conversation slowly resumed; the only two who remained clammed up now were Thorin and Fili's Mother. She was sulking, moving food on her plate. Thorin drank.
After dinner it was customary to have some small music or sing, but no one seemed to step forward. They'd withdrawn to a small parlour adjoining to the dining hall. The Dwarves smoked, Master Eorwyn had a quiet conversation with Gloin in the corner. The discussion, as much as Fili could summon from his corner, pertained to the trade with Dale.
"What do you think has come over Thorin?" Fili whispered into Kili's ear. "I thought he was fond of her."
Kili shrugged, clearly indifferent to the matter. Fili exhaled in frustration.
"You do know it has something to do with you, don't you?" he hissed.
Kili pointed at himself with his pipe and made a dramatic questioning grimace.
"Aye, you!" Fili leaned even closer. "Tell me you have caught Mother's—"
He didn't get to finish because Balin approached them.
"Perhaps you two should bring out your instruments," he said quietly. "We don't want tempers to rise even more."
"Aye, but what is this about—" Fili once again was interrupted, this time because Dwalin joined their little group by the fireplace.
"We ain't seeing any cheer this night," he grumbled and took a big gulp from the mug in his hand. "How'bout you apply some of your diplomatic talent and get us all out of this room, brother?"
Balin gave him an exasperated look.
"I will leave you now, I think," Mother's strained voice carried over the room, and Fili saw her rise from her chair. "I've had a long day, and I'm no youngling anymore." The small laugh she gave out sounded empty. "I thank you for today's company, Master Eorwyn. We shall continue the discussion next time."
The bookkeeper followed her example, rose, and gave her a small bow.
"Thank Mahal," Kili muttered under his breath.
Once lady Dis left, one by one they all mumbled some pleasantries and niceties and made their escape, first, Gloin, then the bookkeeper, then the others. FIli considered lingering, he felt he needed to question Thorin on his attitude towards the bookkeeper. Recently Thorin had been including Fili in the matters of trade in Erebor more and more. It was understandable, their kingdom in the Blue Mountains had been much smaller, and now Thorin was much more preoccupied. Thorin would have to learn to share his responsibilities, since he had no Queen. Fili thought that Thorin was holding back, to be honest. FIli could manage much more than he was allowed to take upon himself.
"Let's go," Kili whispered and pulled at Fili's sleeve.
"I need to speak to Uncle." Fili patted Kili's hand on his arm.
"No you don't, don't be dim. He's clearly nettled. You'll just have your nail hammered down, as they say."
Fili threw a glance at Thorin. He was standing his back to the room again, pipeweed smoke swirling above his head. Fili decided his brother was right - and with a few words he followed Kili into the hallway.
He returned to his rooms and was just taking off his overtunic when a knock came to his door. He opened it without asking, it was so late it could only be Kili or their Mother. It was the latter. Fili internally groaned: his Mother's eyes were puffy and red. She walked into the parlour and heavily sat in an armchair.
"Mother," he grumbled and took the other armchair. The conversation was promising to be taxing.
"Is it true about Master Eorwyn? Is she leaving Erebor?" Lady Dis' voice broke and she pulled a handkerchief out of her sleeve. "She is, isn't she? What a conundrum! It was such an excellent plan! What are we going to do now?" She loudly cleaned her nose. Fili knew no answer was required, so he just took a long sip of his mead.
"And then again, maybe it will still sort itself out. Maybe she won't go," Mother continued her musings. "After all, it's well known how fond she is of Erebor. She's such a charming person! We all love her company, we simply can't let her leave! And after all they are simply made for each other!" A small sob escaped her, and she blew her nose again. FIli muttered an 'excuse me,' rose, and walked to the table with drinks. He needed another one.
"Or perhaps she will go and he could just go with her!" Lady Dis' face lit up. "Wouldn't it be lovely? After all he can find pursuits for himself there as well. He loved Ered Lindon!"
"Or not," she said after a second of silence. Fili finished the second glass. "No, no, that certainly won't do," she said shaking her head. "I don't want him to leave! We have all only just settled, and he has his friends here. And you of course wouldn't want to part with him. We all need to stay together! I simply can't bear saying goodbye to you two again. Not again!" Her voice trembled, and large tears ran her cheeks.
Fili was starting to feel concerned for her. Her current emotional outbursts were surely exceeding her usual 'conniptions,' as Kili called her changing moods. She'd always had the moods, a short fuse, and quite a temper - but for the past two moons she'd been behaving like a child, crying one minute, angry the next. Kili and the girl to develop some sort of mutual interest was unlikely, but Fili could see how his Mother could hope. Talking about it as if it were a done deal and bawling because something had gone wrong was making Fili wonder if his Mother was suffering from some sort of a mental affliction.
Apparently while he was drinking his third mead, his Mother had continued prattling, and then she rose and stomped her foot.
"I'm putting an end to it! I'm going to Thorin right now. He needs to tell her to stay."
Fili almost dropped the glass.
"Amad, you do realise this is—" He almost said 'ridiculous,' but the mad light in his Mother's eyes warned him against the unwise choice of words. "You know what? I'll go. I'll do it."
"What?" She stopped in her tracks.
"I'll talk to Thorin. I will." Fili pressed his hand to his chest.
"Oh Fili, that's so kind of you!" she exclaimed and clapped her hands in delight. "He seemed quite irked today, whatever has gotten his breeches in a knot."
Lady Dis was now smiling radiantly, and Fili confirmed to himself that Thorin indeed needed to be talked to - except Kili wouldn't be the topic of that conversation. Neither would be Master Eorwyn, for that matter. Fili threw his Mother a concerned look over.
"I'll wait for your return here." She sat back down, still smiling blissfully, and folded her hands on her lap.
Fili gently touched her shoulder. "You know, amad, it could take a long time to— convince him. So I say, you go to bed, and I will… I will tell you everything tomorrow."
"First thing tomorrow?" she asked.
"Certainly."
When Fili closed the door behind her, he shook his head. Perhaps it was some sort of a feminine madness that he knew nothing about. Surely, a healer needed to look into it, but he was confident it could only come from Thorin, the only person who held any sway over lady Dis.
While he walked the passage, Fili thought that despite how bizarre and alarming as his Mother's behaviour had been recently it surely had given Fili an excellent excuse to strengthen his position in the household. He would share his observations with Thorin and then would carefully lead the conversation from his Mother's mad ideas regarding Kili and the bookkeeper onto said bookkeeper. The preposterous matrimonious plans of his Mother mattered not - unlike Thorin's seeming ire towards the Royal Court of Exchequer, which Fili was so eager to take under his responsibility.
And then he opened the door into Thorin's private halls, and walked through the first parlour still lost in his thoughts - and he pushed the door to the anteroom open expecting to see Nyr putting out candles and the fire as usual.
Fili froze on the threshold, his hand still on the ring of the knocker.
The red-haired bookkeeper stood, her back pressed to Thorin's desk. She looked cornered. He was just inches away, leaning to her face, his face twisted in an enraged grimace. His stance looked threatening, and suddenly all Fili could see was Thorin's fisted hands, the right one raised as if in preparation to strike.
And then the girl grabbed the doublet on his chest and jerked him towards her. And with some animalistic growl Thorin pressed a forceful kiss on her lips - and picked her up under her arms, and as much as threw her on his desk. Her legs wrapped around his waist, and Fili saw white stockings, because Thorin was bunching up her skirts, the black velvet and the clouds of lace underneath. And she moaned and some jumbled words poured out of her, and she twisted from under his lips and craned her neck, and turned so that Thorin could reach her neck. He as much as bit into her pale skin, and her eyes flew open - and that's when she saw Fili.
